this interesting group: a sob, almost amounting to a groan, burst from the lady, which was unnoticed by the giddy crowd, but which caught my ear, and also that of the fair Madeline, who was hanging on my arm. "That lady must be ill," she exclaimed; and with the promptness of active humanity, she was instantly at her side. "Pardon my intrusion, madam," said she, addressing the stranger, "but you appear faint: the heat of the room is probably oppressive; can I assist you?".

from his taciturnity were vain, we joined the gay and giddy throng once more, though myself and Ma deline could not divest ourselves of a feeling of intense interest for the fair incognita, to whom and her companion a considerable portion of mystery appeared to attach, wit

In a few minutes after, as Made line and myself were standing up with a quadrille party, we saw, the domino walk up the room, and shortly after all three passed towards the entrance; the lady eagerly looked around, as if in search of some one, and recognising my fair part ner, she made a deep courtesy, but was suddenly hurried forward by her companion, and we lost sight of her in the crowd. Our feelings were so powerfully interested, that it was some time before we could enter into the amusements of the evening with our usual spirit; and when we returned home, the "mysterious two" formed the subject of our con versation, and we in vain endeavour

"The room is indeed oppressive, I wish I were away: would to heaven I were at home!" replied the lady in tones so sweetly sorrowful, that the remembrance of them will never be effaced. "Nonsense!" replied her companion, "you cannot go home yet. Nothing is prepared; you will be better soon." Madeline had some aromatics in her vinegarette, which were administered to the incognita, who expressed her sense of the kindness in terms which evinced a mind highly cultivated and re-ed to find a clue which would lead fined. us to a discovery of their persons and stations.

Although the lady seemed pleased and gratified by our attentions, they were evidently unwelcome to her companion, who most ungraciously repulsed every attempt to enter into conversation; whilst he beckoned to the figure in a domino, and whispering to him a few words, out of which we could only catch," Let me know as soon as it drives up," he wrapped himself still closer in his plaid, and sternly throwing himself across the seat in such a way as to prevent our approach to the lady, he preserved a sullen and contemptuous silence. The domino disappeared, and finding all our efforts to induce the Highlander to depart

I had returned to the country, and the occurrences at the masquerade, had gradually faded from my recol lection. One day in autumn, having been out with the hounds in the vi cinity of, I was slowly riding home, when a chaise passed me, driv ing with great speed, on the northr ern road. It did not, however, pass so quick but I could distinguish a sort of confusion within, and the faint scream of a female vibrated plainly on my ears. Where a femalei was concerned, I never hesitated at: danger or difficulties, and I immediately turned my horse, and galloped after the chaise. The post-boys

drove with great fury, and my spi-ratives as she had at hand; and her endeavours were crowned with success, as the lady slowly recovered from her swoon. The gentlemati now insisted upon being no longer detained; she was his wife, he said, and he would inflict the severest penalties the law imposed on those who retarded his progress. "As for you, Sir Knight of Romance, who ride about to succour distressed damsels, if you are what you appear, I shall deal with you after a' different fashion, as soon as the ob

rited animal being jaded with a long and toilsome run after reynard, I gradually lost ground, and eventually lost sight of the chaise. At the next turnpike I obtained intelligence of its route, and again pushed forwards. By great exertion, after riding eight or nine miles, I reached the inn at the post-town of just as the chaise was about to start with fresh horses, and ordering the postboys to stop, I rode up to the door, and pulling it open, discovered that it was occupied by a lady and gen-ject of your gallantry is placed in a tleman, the former of whom had fainted, and the latter fiercely demanded by what authority I dared to interfere with his proceedings. "By the authority which every man has to interfere when a female is concerned," I replied. "I have reason to think this lady is not wil-parture, but apologize for my inlingly travelling with you, and till I am satisfied on that point you shall not proceed."

"She is my wife, and detain us a moment longer at your peril," returned my antagonist, foaining with rage, and presenting a pistol, which he had drawn from the pocket of the chaise. I knocked it out of his hand, and in falling the lock struck against the chaise-door, and it went off. He then leaped out of the chaise, and seizing me, endeavoured to pull me from my horse; but the report of the pistol having brought out the landlord and several of the waiters, we were soon separated from our rather undignified contest, and some attention was given to the lady in the chaise. She was conveyed into the house, still senseless; and whilst a waiter was dispatched for a surgeon, Mrs. White, the landlady, promptly administered such resto

situation where she will be less interesting-(these words were uttered' with a sneer)-to boys and stablegrooms and waiting-women."

"Once convince me that she is your wife," I replied," and I will offer no further obstacle to your de

terruption, or give you any other satisfaction you may demand. My card will inform you that you will* not be dishonoured by meeting me.

"I am not his wife," exclaimed the lady. "Aided by those who' should befriend me, he seeks to force me to be his; but I call upon you as friends to a distressed female not to suffer him to take me home."

L'as

"I shall be proud to defend you with my life," I replied; " and if your persecutor persists in his designs, and will not allow you to pro-1 ceed unmolested where and when' you please, I shall feel it my duty to send for a magistrate, and have the whole of this nefarious business pro-" perly investigated."

"She may go to the d-l if she' likes," exclaimed the person, whom by courtesy I have styled a gentleman, and rushed out of the room. In a minute he jumped into the

chaise, and having whispered some- || proud to render either, and offered

thing to the post-boy, the vehicle was soon out of sight. None of us felt interested enough to pursue him, our whole attention being claimed by the lady, who was well calculated by her appearance and manners to interest and attract. In a sweetly modest and expressive tone she apologized for the trouble she had given, and said, such was her ignorance of the world, that she feared she must still intrude upon us for advice and assistance. I replied I should be

the fair stranger the protection of my mother and sister, which was eagerly accepted. A chaise and four was immediately ordered, and having liberally rewarded the people at the inn for their kindness and attention, we departed for Holly House, which lies about ten miles from

On her road the lady communicated her short but interesting history, which I shall give the reader in my own words.

(To be concluded in our next.).

3

UNDER THE ROSE.

From MEMOIRS OF THE ROSE: In a Series of Letters to a Lady.

THE rose is not only the flower of love and the emblem of beauty, but it is also considered the symbol of secrecy. A kiss is often taken and allowed" under the rose." A belief that two young companions have become lovers is a suspicion whispered "under the rose." The certainty of arrangements for an intended marriage often transpires "under the rose;" and whenever I greet the full-blown impression of your exquisitely engraven seal, with its appropriate motto, Sub rosa, I always anticipate beneath it, if not a poetical kiss or a lover's secret, yet expressions of kindness, and feelings of friendship, which are sacred and inviolate; and for which these letters on the importance of the rose must be my feeble return.

The following passage on the above attribute of our favourite flower is from Brown's curious work on "Vulgar Errors." "When we desire to confine our words, we commonly say they are spoken under the rose;

which expression is commendable if the rose from any natural propertie may be the symboll of silence; and is also tolerable, if, by desiring a secrecy to words spoke under the rose, we only mean in society and compotation, from the ancient custome in Symposiacke meetings, to wear chaplets of roses about their heads; and so we condemn not the Germane custom, which over the table describeth a rose in the seeling; but more considerable it is, if the original were such as Lemnius and others have recorded: that the rose was the flower of Venus which Cupid consecrated unto Harpocrates as the god of silence, and was therefore an emblem thereof."

I have somewhere seen the following lines given as a translation, although they are rather a paraphrase of those which Brown here quotes:

The rose is Venus' pride-the archer boy

Gave to Harpocrates his mother's flower, What time fond lovers told the tender joyTo guard with sacred secrecy the hour:

Hence o'er the festive board the host uphung Love's flower of silence, to remind each ! guest,

When wine to amorous sallies loosed the tongue,

Father Rosicross, out of which originated the celebrated order.

I ought to apologize for such a seemingly unfeminine digression; but

Under the rose what pass'd must never be I wish you to know, my fair friend,

express'd.

that these were the men so long famed for their occult studies in the

pursuit of some imagined universal panacea, or elixir vita; and also of that wonderful transmuter of all inferior metals into gold-the philosopher's stone. These foolish pursuits, which, in the 16th century, made such a noise even in England, are now exploded; and no doubt many individuals, whose gold by the processes of alchemy had been turn

Happy are we, my dear friends, who live under the auspices of a different state of society; when instead of hanging up the rose as the guardian of bacchanalian revelry, we introduce the fair sex as a rational and effectual check upon that licence of speech which the influence of wine has so falsely been supposed to justify. It appears to have been with re-ed into dross in the crucible, would ference to this attribute of secrecy, that the rose was adopted not only as a part of the blazon on the arms, but likewise as a cognominal designation of the fraternity of the Rosicrucians, a sect of philosophers which appeared in Germany about 1614, and presently spread themselves through most of the countries of Europe, and out of which has sprung the present system of Freemasonry. The opinion that the rose was assumed as the symbol of secrecy, and the cross to represent the solemnity of the oath by which the vow of secrecy was ratified, is defended by a writer of authority on the subject. Against this presumption, however, it is argued, that the armorial bearings of John Valentine Andreä, a celebrated theologian of Wirtemberg were a St. Andrew's cross and four roses-which Andreä is suspected of having fabricated the legend of

derive much consolation from the doctrine of the following paragraph from one of the writers of the sect: It is a very childish objection, that the brotherhood have promised so much and performed so little. With them, as elsewhere, many are called but few chosen: the masters of the order hold out the rose (the secret) as a remote prize; but they impose the cross (the labour) on those who are entering. Among other curious notions, they held that the principle which determined the shape of animals and vegetables when they be came organized was incipient in certain salts, to be obtained from the ashes of similar bodies! Sir Kenelm Digby has left a recipe for producing cray-fish after this fashion; and the celebrated Kircher is said to have exhibited in his museum a phial, hermetically sealed, containing a rose, the product of such a lixivium.

1

210

THE NOVICIATE.

(Continued from p. 145.)

10

To avoid breaking the narrative of || I have reason to know his value betLord Ormond's suit to Wilmina, we ter than his master; and he has taught have delayed mentioning how Ga- me ideas of female excellence, such briel Hossack fared with Sylvester, as never entered my mind, till he enwho, in riding from the granaries, larged on the qualities of his benesaid to Wilmina, "I could almost factress." Wilmina could not in good violate father Roderick's sepulchre, manners withhold all acknowledgto scold him for imposing upon me ment of this direct compliment; she such a gloomy mortal or goblin as gravely bowed, and changed the conHossack. He is a dwarf, but no jest-versation. er. His wit is of the saturnine order."

"He is a sensible, worthy, cultivated creature," said Lord Ormond, who rode on one side of Wilmina's palfrey, and Sylvester on the other. "Ugly toad, he puts me out of humour with myself," said Sylvester. "You surely may envy his personal distinctions," said Wilmina smiling.

Some weeks after the departure of Lord Ormond and his friends, as Wilmina went to her dormitory with a torch in her hand-for candles or lamps were used only on great occasions-she was not a little startled to see the uncouth figure of Gabriel Hossack stationed near the entry of her outer bower. He put a small parcel into her hand, and vanished so instantaneously, that she almost believed for a moment a vision supernatural had flitted from her view. But the parcel was a material substance, and she was anxious to know the contents. Her damsels waited within; she desired them to bring more fuel and some torches; she was to be occupied with business, and they might go to bed. When they

"In your opinion at least," answered Sylvester significantly. "But in sober sadness I have been at a loss how to dispose of your angel Gabriel. He cannot carve diversion for himself in Archibald's merry household, which you will allow is unconscionable. He must be employed; and then he is so contentedly indefatigable, that I am dissatisfied with my-had brought the fuel and torches, self to see the mere mockery of a man exempted from all the passions, I could almost say all the frailties of humanity."

"The Lady Wilmina deigned to be Gabriel Hossack's example," said Lord Ormond; "you and I, Sylvester, were exposed to patterns far inferior. It is not, however, too late to copy perfection, when the heart and will are excited and fixed. Hossack is sometimes destitute of occupation, and then he writes for me: so

she left them to their repose in the outer bower, and bolting the inner bower, untied Gabriel Hossack's parcel. It contained a whistle curiously carved, and a slip of parchment with the following words:

"A servant devoted to the Lady Wilmina has obtained leave to come to Balveny Castle, in quest of a forgotten crucifix, given to his mother by the deceased Lady Balveny. He is sworn not to utter a word, and to return with all expedition: the boun